Lab Techniques

Question 1

Polymerase chain reaction

Answer 1

used to amplify a desired fragment of DNA

Useful as a *diagnostic tool (eg, neonatal HIV, herpes encephalitis).

Question 2

Southern blot

Answer 2

SNoW DRoP:
*Southern = *DNA
Northern = RNA
Western = Protein

Question 3

Northern blot

Answer 3

SNoW DRoP:
Southern = DNA
*Northern = *RNA
Western = Protein

Question 4

Western blot

Answer 4

SNoW DRoP:
Southern = DNA
Northern = RNA
*Western = *Protein

Question 5

Southwestern blot

Answer 5

Identifies *DNA-binding proteins (transcription factors)

Question 6

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

Answer 6

Immunologic test used to detect the presence of either a *specific antigen (eg, HBsAg) or *antibody
(eg, anti-HBs) in a patient’s blood sample.

Question 7

Karyotyping

Answer 7

A process in which metaphase chromosomes are stained, ordered, and numbered according to
morphology, size, arm-length ratio, and banding pattern

Question 8

Fluorescence in situ

hybridization (FISH)

Answer 8

Used for specific *localization of genes and direct visualization of chromosomal anomalies at the molecular level

• Microdeletion
• Translocation
• Duplication

Question 9

Cre-lox system

Answer 9

Can inducibly manipulate genes at specific *developmental points (eg, to study a gene whose deletion causes embryonic death).

Question 10

RNA interference

Answer 10

dsRNA is synthesized that is complementary to the mRNA sequence of interest

When transfected into human cells, dsRNA separates
and promotes degradation of target mRNA, *“knocking down” gene expression.